Health Insurance Premium Credits in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (open access)

Health Insurance Premium Credits in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

This report describes who will be eligible for the premium credits, and how the credit amounts will be calculated.
Date: December 30, 2011
Creator: Fernandez, Bernadette & Gabe, Thomas
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Nominating Process: Current Issues (open access)

Presidential Nominating Process: Current Issues

Pressure to change the nominating system mounted in the turbulent political climate of the 1960s, due to the perception that the process was undemocratic. A transforming event occurred at the Democratic convention in 1968, where violent confrontations between war protesters and the Chicago police outside the convention hall, and bitter credentials disputes inside, spurred Democrats to completely change the party's nominating rules. The new rules transferred the power of choosing delegates from party leaders to rank-and-file voters, opening the process to widespread popular participation for the first time. Many state parties switched to primaries to comply with the newly adopted national party rules. The Republican Party also modified its rules in the early 1970s.
Date: December 30, 2011
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Arab League Boycott of Israel (open access)

Arab League Boycott of Israel

This report briefly discusses the Arab League's boycott of Israeli companies and Israeli-made goods since Israel's founding in 1948, as well as U.S. efforts to end the boycott and prevent U.S. firms in participating in the boycott.
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: Weiss, Martin A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the current state of Bahrain, which has undergone substantial political reforms since the late 1990s, but which still suffers from tension between the Shiite majority and the Sunni-led government. This report focuses particularly on Bahrain's relationship with Iran and Bahrain's relationship with the United States.
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Changes in the Distribution of Income Among Tax Filers Between 1996 and 2006: The Role of Labor Income, Capital Income, and Tax Policy (open access)

Changes in the Distribution of Income Among Tax Filers Between 1996 and 2006: The Role of Labor Income, Capital Income, and Tax Policy

This report consists of changes in the distribution of income among tax filers between 1966 and 2006 with the role of labor income, capital income and tax policy.
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Continuing Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices (open access)

Continuing Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices

this report provides information about the Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices on Continuing Resolutions.
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts (open access)

U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts

This report lists the beginning and ending dates for "periods of war" found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties.
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: Torreon, Barbara Salazar
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unemployment Insurance: Legislative Issues in the 112th Congress (open access)

Unemployment Insurance: Legislative Issues in the 112th Congress

None
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Terrorism Investigations (open access)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Terrorism Investigations

None
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence Issues for Congress (open access)

Intelligence Issues for Congress

This report gives an overview of current intelligence issues of interest to the 112th Congress. It includes background and analysis including most recent development, ongoing Congressional concerns, specific issues for the 112th Congress, and a summary of related legislation from the 109th through the 112th Congresses.
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mental Health Parity and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (open access)

Mental Health Parity and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

This report provides a brief background on mental health parity and the policy discussion around parity in health insurance coverage; an overview of federal mental health parity law prior to the enactment of the ACA; and an analysis of the impact of the ACA.
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Sarata, Amanda K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Security Council: An Organizational Assessment (open access)

The National Security Council: An Organizational Assessment

This report describes the history of the National Security Council (NSC) established in 1947 including: how its structure and influence have varied over the years from one Administration to another, its current structure and members, varying opinions as to what the role of the NSC should be, and future developments for the NSC.
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant: An Introduction (open access)

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant: An Introduction

None
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Falk, Gene
System: The UNT Digital Library
Terrorism Information Sharing and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Report Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Terrorism Information Sharing and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Report Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress

This report describes the NSI, the rationale for the sharing of terrorism-related SARs, and how the NSI seeks to achieve this objective. It examines the privacy and civil liberties concerns raised by the initiative and identifies other oversight issues for Congress.
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Fossil Fuel Resources: Terminology, Reporting, and Summary (open access)

U.S. Fossil Fuel Resources: Terminology, Reporting, and Summary

None
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview and analysis of U.S.-Yemeni relations amidst evolving political change in Yemeni leadership, ongoing U.S. counterterrorism operations against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operatives at large in Yemen's hinterlands, and international efforts to bolster the country's stability despite an array of daunting socio-economic problems. Congress and U.S. policymakers may be concerned with prospects for stabilizing Yemen and establishing strong bilateral relations with future Yemeni leaders.
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report looks at the history and current need for a Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program. Potential issues for Congress include the role and need for the GCV in a downsized Army that will likely have fewer heavy brigade combat teams (HBCTs).
Date: December 27, 2011
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
Covert Action: Legislative Background and Possible Policy Questions (open access)

Covert Action: Legislative Background and Possible Policy Questions

Published reports have suggested that in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Pentagon has expanded its counter-terrorism intelligence activities as part of what the Bush Administration termed the global war on terror. This report discusses the Department of Defense's (DOD) various counter-terrorist intelligence activities, whether or not they constitute classification as "covert action," and the challenge of clarifying the roles and responsibilities of various intelligence activities with regard to clandestine activities. This report examines the statutory procedures governing covert action and associated questions to consider.
Date: December 27, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights (open access)

Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights

This report discusses Iraq's political system that is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition and formation of cross-sectarian alliances. However, ethnic and sectarian political and sometimes violent infighting continues, often involving the questionable use of key levers of power and legal institutions. This infighting-and the belief that holding political power may mean the difference between life and death for the various political communities-significantly delayed agreement on a new government that was to be selected following the March 7, 2010, national elections for the Council of Representatives (COR, parliament)
Date: December 27, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Physician Payment Updates and the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) System (open access)

Medicare Physician Payment Updates and the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) System

This report provides a background on the Medicare fee schedule, the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) system and the annual updates, and discusses recent proposal to address this issue.
Date: December 27, 2011
Creator: Hahn, Jim & Mulvey, Janemarie
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Intelligence Council (NIC): Issues and Options for Congress (open access)

The National Intelligence Council (NIC): Issues and Options for Congress

It is the purpose of this report to describe the statutory provisions that authorize the NIC, provide a brief history of its work, and review its role within the federal government. The report will focus on congressional interaction with the NIC and describe various options for modifying congressional oversight.
Date: December 27, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS reports on specific Arctic-related issues. Congressional readers with questions about an issue discussed in this report should contact the author or authors of the section discussing that issue. The authors are identified by footnote at the start of each section.
Date: December 23, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Monitoring and Verification in Arms Control (open access)

Monitoring and Verification in Arms Control

None
Date: December 23, 2011
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions (open access)

The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions

The United States and Russia signed a new strategic arms reduction treaty - known as New START - on April 8, 2010. This treaty is designed to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START), which expired, after 15 years of implementation, on December 5, 2009. This report provides an overview of New START, including a comparison to the original START Treaty, the belief of the Obama Administration and outside analysts that New START will enhance U.S. national security, and the criticisms of those who say that New START (and, indeed, the entire issue of U.S.-Russian arms control) is a distraction from more important items on the nonproliferation agenda.
Date: December 23, 2011
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
System: The UNT Digital Library